From the Summary ... 'Controlled plots on the lower Coastal Plain of South Carolina were sampled after 30 years of burning treatments. Levels of nutrients in the soil and forest floor were comparable to those observed after 10 and 20 years. Burning treatments to date have not resulted in a pronounced loss of nutrients. Increasing burning frequency decreases levels of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium and magnesium found in the forest floor and results in significant increases of the exchangeable calcium and magnesium in the top four inches of mineral soil. With other nutrients, changes in concentration or total levels present in surface mineral soil are less apparent. Fractionation of soil phosphorus in the 0-2 inch soil layer indicated no apparent effect on levels and ratios of phosphorus due to burning. Comparison of nitrogen levels in the top four inch layer of soil indicated the unburned control and periodically burned plots changed little over the last 20 years. Plots burned annually in the winter gained in total nitrogen levels by an average of 120 to 140 pounds of nitrogen per acre while plots burned annually in summer lost an average of 200 to 300 pounds of nitrogen over a 20-year-period.'